This rare footage shows the moment Her Majesty the Queen came face to face with the incoming and outgoing colonels of the Royal Welsh.

As part of a behind-the-scenes look at some of the key roles held by members of the Armed Forces, the video shows Colonel of the Royal Welsh Brigadier James Swift and his outgoing colleague Brig Phillip Napier in an audience with the Queen.

A 'real honour'

It was obtained by Forces TV, and Brig Smith said it was a “real honour” to be presented to Her Majesty.

He added: “It’s not something that comes around very often or for very many people, so one is inevitably a little bit nervous.”

The regiment was formed two years ago when 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh (formerly Royal Welch Fusiliers) and 2nd Battalion The Royal Welsh (formerly Royal Regiment of Wales) were merged to become 1st Battalion, The Royal Welsh.

The programme will air on Forces TV on Monday evening

For a special programme entitled On Her Majesty’s Service, Forces TV was given the chance to get a glimpse of senior army officers invited to an audience with the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

It was filmed to show the close involvement of servicemen and women at the heart of the Monarchy, and another ranking featured in the programme was the Queen’s Flag Sergeant.

The role, currently taken by Lance Sgt Nathan Bowen, is put in charge of the carefully arranged collection of flags for palaces and cars, visits to different home nations and for significant royal occasions.

He said: “We all sign or swear the oath of allegiance to serve Her Majesty and her offices below and this is the place at the top of the tree to do just that. You cannot get any nearer to serving Her Majesty than being here physically serving Her Majesty."

Things don't always go to plan...

He also described how, as hard as they may try, things don’t always go to plan, and that on one occasion he was almost blown off the roof where he was standing.

He said: “On Her Majesty’s official birthday, there was a 38x19ft flag, which we call the anniversary flag, and I wanted to put that up. It got a bit windy and I had to grab the policeman, who was also on the roof looking at the crowds, and make sure I got myself a bit of a hand.